Head construction for horizontal liquefied petroleum tanks



June 20, 1950 v Q w KlLHAM 2,512,024

HEAD CONSTRUCTION. FOR HORIZONTAL. LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM TANKS Filed Sept. 9, 1946 Q A ZTOP/Vflfi Patented June at, 1950 UNI-TED STATE s PATENT OFFICE IIEAD CONSTRUCTION FOR HORIZONTAL LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM TANKS Oliver W. Kllham, Alhambra, Calif., assignor to American Pipe and Steel Corporation, Alhambra, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application September 9, 1946, Serial No. 695,761

9 Claims.

As set forth in the application above mentioned, I

it is desirable in the construction of horizontal storage tanks for liquefied petroleum such as butane and propane to provide a single fitting that may be installed in an opening in an upright wall of the tank which will have associated therewith a vapor tube leading to the vapor spacein the tank, a liquid tube leading to the liquid space or to a point near the bottom of the tank, and a 10% outage tube leading to alevel within the tank which is approximately 10% volumetrically from the top of the tank. The fitting may or may not have associated therewith a suitable float gauge which will indicate at all times the volume of liquid remaining within the tank.

In constructions of this character it is desirable to keep the opening in the upright wall or end headof the tank as small as is reasonably possible due to the fact that the tank and the fitting applied to the opening are subject to relatively high internal pressures. If the fitting and the opening which receives it may be maintained relatively small, danger of leakage is minimized. It is also desirable to be able to mount all of the various tubes on the fitting prior to the application of the fitting to the tank inasmuch as this facilitates assembly and also pressure testing. It is likewise desirable to be able to insert all of the various tubings through the single small opening in the upright wall of the tank as a single unit and on tightening the fitting in its opening to cause all of the various tubings to assume their proper positions within the tank, namely, that the vapor tubing will extend from the fitting to a point very close to the extreme top of the tank, the liquid supply tubing extended to a point very close to the extreme bottom of the tank, and the 10% outage tubing terminating at the proper level.

It has heretofore been proposed to introduce through an opening in an upright wall of the tank a vapor supply tubing and a 10% outage tubing and to form the liquid tube of flexible material intended to descend by being weighted to the bottom of the tank. However, the flexible tubing which is thus weighted frequently becomes caught either in the liquid level gauge or frictionally comes to rest on the walls of the tank a considerable distance above the bottom thereof. In accordance with the present invention all of the tubings may be formed of rigid material and introduced through the single opening in the head of the tank and will terminate when the fitting is tightened at the proper and desirable locations.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a fitting and associated tubings for horizontal liquefied petroleum tanks wherein the vapor supply tubing, the 10% outage tubing, and

the liquid supply tubing extend from the fitting upwardly toward the top of the tank with the vapor supply tubing terminating near the top, the 10% outage tubing terminating some distance below, and the liquid supply tubing extending downwardly from adjacent the top of the tank to a point very close to the bottom of the tank. With all tubings being arranged in close proximity to one anotherand being longitudinally curved in such a manner that, when the tops of the tubings are engaging the top of the opening and the bottoms of the tubings are engaging the bottom of the opening in the head of the tank in the course of introduction, the curvature of .the tubings will, if extended, be approximately tangent to the top of the tank. With this arran ement the diameter of the opening in the head of the tank will be maintained at a minimum to accommodate a relatively small fitting and all of the various tubings will assume their proper positions within the tank when the fitting is assembled therewith.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the acccmpanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the end of a horizontal liquefied petroleum storage tank illustrating the fitting and tubings as having been installed therein and illustrating in dotted lines the manner of insertion of the tubings into the tank after they have been associated with the fitting;

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation of the tank;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 3-3 upon Fig. 1.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, Ill indicates a horizontal cylindrical tank. One of its heads at the end thereof isindicated at l I in which there is formed an aperture l2. A ring I3 is welded or otherwise secured in this aperture and is preferably internally threaded with a pipe thread adapted to re ceive a comparimented fitting ll. Within this the aperture 23 in the partition 24.

I fitting there are two approximately semicircular compartments I and Hi, the upper of which con-- vapor control valve I6 controlling the release ofvapor from the vapor compartment to a service line or conduit, and a vapor return valve 16. A

liquid control valve controls the release 01' 10' outage valve that leads to a small aperture 23 1s formed in the partition 24 which defines the two compartments i5 and 16 from each other. A liquid supply tube 25 is brazed, soldered or otherwise'flxed to the interior of the fitting to com municate-with the liquid compartment I6. In a go similar manner a vapor supply tube- 28 is connected to the fitting so as to communicate with the vapor compartment 15. A 10% outage tube 21 is secured to the fitting and communicates with age tube extends upwardly and rearwardly to a point which is approximately 10% volumetrically from the 'top of'the tank and there terminates.

The vapor suppl tube 26 extends upwardly and rearwardly to a point closely adjacent the top 01' the tank and there terminates. The liquid supply tube 25, after extending in parallel relation to the end of the vapor supply tube 26, is then bent downwardly to extend to a point very close to the extreme bottom of the tank so that the portion 26 thereof extends diametrically across the tan]! 0 throughout its complete height or substantially so The center of the fitting I4 is hollow as indicated at 29 to receive a float-actuated magnetic liquid level gauge generally indicated at 30 and when the fitting H is completely tightened. their ends assume the proper relative positions wherein the tube 25 may supply liquid from the bottom oi the tank to the liquid compartment l6. The vapor supply tube 26 may conduct vapor from the vapor space in-the tank to the vapor compartment l5 and the 10% outage tube 21 indicates when the liquid level has reached to within 10% of the entire volume of the tank in accordance with conventional practice.

The longitudinal curvature of the three tubes thus permitsof their insertion together through Y a relatively small opening provided by the ring All of these 5 having a float 3| which will indicate at all times 4 the approximate level of liquid within the tank. Between the point where the three tubes are brought together rearwardly of the fitting l4 and are bent upwardly and the point where the vapor l3. Consequently the fitting ll may be kept a relatively small size reducing the danger of leakage. While the fitting I4 is preferably screwed into the ring I3 with a pipe thread other types of thread may be employed and, if desired, in lieu of threading the fitting into the ring, the fitting and ring may be provided with companion flanges adapted to be bolted together to attach the fitting to the ring.

It will be appreciated from the above described construction that with the proper arrangement and curvature of the tubings the device is relatively simple and can be easily installed. When installed. assurance is made that the end of the liquid supply tubing extends to a point very close to the extreme bottom of the tank.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

I. A tank adapted to have volatile liquids retained therein under pressure having an upright wall in which there is an opening, a compartmented fitting closing said opening, a gas tube connected to one of the compartments of the fitting, a liquid tube connected to the other of the compartments of the fitting, said gas and liquid tubes extending upwardly above the top of the opening in close proximity from the fitting within the tank to a point adjacent the top of the tank, the gas tube terminating in the vapor space of the tank and the liquid tube extending from said point downwardly below the bottom of the opening and terminating in the liquid space of the tank, said tubes being longitudinally curved besupply tube 26 terminates, the three tubes are tween the fitting and said point and being re longitudinally curved. The curvature of this portion of the three tubes has a radius somewhat in excess of the diameter of the tank and the curvature is such as indicated by dotted lines ceivable through said opening in applying the fitting.

2. A tank adapted to' have volatile liquids retained therein under pressure having an upright that when the top surfaces of the tubes are 5 wall in which there is an opening, a compartengaging the top of the ring l3 and the bottom surfaces or undersides of the tubes are engaging the bottom of the ring l3 as is indicated by dotted lines, the curvature, if extended, would be approximately tangent to the top of the tank. With 00 this arrangement the three tubes may be assembled together with the fitting ll prior to the installation of the fitting on the tank. These tubes when assembled may then be tested for leakage.

The float-operated gauge 30 may also be assem- 66 then permits the fitting of the tubes through the 70 ring l3 until they assume approximately the full line position shown. The fitting 14 may then be screwed into the ring and tightened in place. During this screwing action the tubes 25, 26 and 21 merely swing or rotate within the tank but, 16 connected to one oi the compartments of the fitment'ed fitting closing said opening, a gas tube connected to one of the compartments of the fitting, a liquid tube connected to the other of the compartments of the fitting, said gas and liquid tubes extending upwardly above the top of the opening in close proximity from the fitting within the tank to a point adjacent the top of the tank, the gas tube terminating in the vapor space of the tank and the liquid tube extending from said point downwardly below the bottom of the opening and terminating in the liquid space of the tank, said tubes being longitudinally curved between the fitting and said point with a radius of curvature the center of which is below the bottom of the tank.

3. A tank adapted to have volatile liquids retained therein under pressure having an upright wall in which there is an opening, a compartmented fitting closing said opening, a gas tube this. a liquid tube connected to the other of the compartments of the fitting, said gas and liquid tubes extending upwardly above the top of the opening in close proximity from the fitting within the tank to a point adjacent the top of the tank, the gas tube terminating inthe vapor space of the tank and the liquid tube extending from said point downwardly below the bottom of the opening and terminating in the liquid space of the tank, said tubes being longitudinally curved between the fitting and said point with a radius of curvature such that when the top surfaces of the tubes are contacting the top of the opening and the bottom surfaces of the tubes are contacting the bottom of the opening during the course of insertion, the curvature of the tubes, if extended, would be approximately tangent to the top of the tank.

4. A tank adapted to have volatile liquids retained therein under pressure having an upright wall in which there is an opening, a compartmented fitting closing said opening, a gas tube connected to one of the compartments of the fitting, a liquid tube connected to the other of the compartments of the fitting, a outage tube connected to the fitting, said tubes extending upwardly above the top of the opening in close proximity from the fitting within the tank, the gas and liquid tubes extending to a point adjacent the top of the tank and the gas tube terminating in the vapor space of the tank, the liquid tube having an extension extending downwardly from said point below-the bottom of the opening and terminating in the liquid space of the tank, all of said tubes being longitudinally curved between the fitting and said point with a radius of curvature such that when the top surfaces of the tubes are contacting the top of the Opening and the bottom surfaces of the tubes are contacting the bottom of the opening during the course of insertion the curvature of the tubes, if extended, would be approximately tangent to the top of the tank.

, 6 partments of the fitting, said tubes'extending upwardly in close proximity from the fitting to a point above the fitting, the liquid tube having an extension extending downwardly to a point 5. A fitting device applicable to an upright opening in a tank wall, comprising a compart-y mented fitting adapted to be applied to the opening to close the opening, a gas tube connected to one of the compartments of the fitting, a liquid tube connected to another of the compartments nally curved between the fitting and the flrst-,

named point with a radius of curvature of such below the bottom of the fitting, all of said tubes being longitudinally curved between the fitting and the first-named point with a radius of curvature of such that when the top surfaces of the tubes are contacting that portion of the tank wall forming the top of the opening and the bottom surfaces of the tubes are contacting that portion of the tank wall forming the bottom of the opening during the course of insertion the curvatures of the tubes, if extended, would be approximately tangent to the top of the tank.

7. A fitting device applicable to an upright opening in a-tank wall, comprising a compartmented fitting adapted to be applied to the tank wall to close the opening, a gas tube connected to one of the compartments of the fitting, a liquid tube connected to another of the -compartments of the fitting, said tubes extending upwardly from the fitting in side by side relationship and the liquid tube having an extension extendingdownwardly from the upwardly extending portion'thereof, all of said tubes being longitudinally curved along their upwardly extending portions and having the same are of curvature.

8. A fitting device applicable to an upright opening in a tank wall, comprising a compartmented fitting adapted to be applied to the tank wall to close the opening, a gas tube connected to one of the compartments of the fitting, a liquid tube connected to another of the compartments of the fitting, said tubes extending upwardly in side by side relationship in close proximity from the fitting to a point above the top of the fitting, the gas tube terminating at said point and the liquid tube extending from said point downwardly below the bottom of the fitting, said tubes being longitudinally curved between the fitting and said point and being receivable through the opening in the tank when the fitting is applied to the tank.

-9..A fitting device applicable to an upright opening in a tank wall, comprising a compartmented fitting adapted to be applied to the tank wall to close the opening, a gas tube connected to one of the compartments of the fitting, a liquid tube connected to another of the compartments of the fitting, said tubes extending up- .wardly in side by side relationship in close proximity from the fitting to a point above the top of the fitting,the gastube terminating at said point and the liquid tube extending from said point downwardly below the bottom of the fitting,

that when the .top surfaces of the tubes are contacting that portion of the tank wall forming the top of the opening and the bottom surfaces said tubes being longitudinally curved between the fitting and said point with a radius of curvature the center of which is below the bottom of the tank.

OLIVER W. KILHAM.

REFERENCES CITED- ll The following references are of record in the opening in a tank wall, comprising a compartmented fitting adapted to be applied to the opening to close the opening, a gas tube connected to one of the compartments of the fitting, a liquid tube connected to another of the comille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Number Date 7 1,312,333 Robillard May 30,1933 

